Stage-flooding system.



PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

G. J. GIBNEY. STAGE FLOODI-NG SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED P111343. 1904.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1904.

WITNESSES;

mvsurqn 'z/iericl UNITED STATES Patented June 14, 1904.

GILBERT J. GIBNEY, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

STAGE-FLOODING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,702, dated June 14, 1904. Application filed February 3, 1904. Serial Nox 191,810. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT J. GIBNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Stage-Flooding Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in fireextinguishers,having for an object to provide a novel construction of stage-flooding mechanism, so that in case a fire breaks out a valve or valves under the control of persons from the stage can be opened and the entire stage quickly flooded with water; and the inven tion consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section taken in rear of the stage. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on about line 2 2 of Fig.1. Fig. 8 is a detail section on about line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a face elevation, and Fig. 5 a vertical section, of the valve in its case.

In the construction shown the discharge devices of the flooding system are arranged above the gridiron A, as shown in'Fig. l, and include side mains B, cross-mains C, supplypipes D, and flooding-pipes E. There may be as many supply-pipes D as desired; but I find it desirable toprovide at least one of these at each side of the stage, it being understood that these supply-pipes D are connected directly with the main house-supply pipe and run in the construction in Figs. 1 and 2 up to the large cross-pipes C, which cross-pipes C and supply-pipes D will ordinarily be of the same size as the main housesupply pipe. At their ends the cross-pipes C connect with the side mains B, which will ordinarily be reduced from the size of the main pipe and cross-pipes C to about three inches. At about every eighteen inches along the side mains B, I provide reducing-couplings b, which receive the flooding-pipes E, which latter may be of about one inch and are perforated at about every siX inches by three-sixteenths-inch holes, so as to thoroughly flood the stage below. These flooding-pipes E extend from the opposite mains inwardlytoward each other and are arranged alternately, so that the closed inner ends of the pipes E, projecting from one side main B, will lap between the closed inner ends of the pipes E,

projecting from the opposite side mains B,

the side and cross mains and the floodingpipes being of such extent as to cover the entire surface of the stage. This construction is useful and important, as by it I am able to discharge a considerable amount of water at the middle of the protected area, thus reaching the point where the fire will probably burn with the greatest intensity, as will be understood from the drawings, particularly Fig. 2. The side and cross mains and the flooding-pipes are arranged beneath the roof or ceiling and above the gridiron A, as best shown in Fig. 1, and are supported in position by iron pipe-hangers D, U, B, and E, the pipe-hangers being ordinarily placed about five or six feet apart and every pipe having its own pipe-hangers, so the system of pipes will be securely supported from the roof or ceiling or the beams of same. The supply-pipes D are provided at a short distance above the stage-floor-say about five feetwith a quickopening valve F, (see Figs. 1, 4, and 5,) said valve being within easy reach of a man on the stage. These valves, of which there may be as many as desired, are located at different points on the stage, are inclosed in a box or casing G, having a glass front H, suitably inscribedsay as shown in Fig. 4:, wherein are shown the words In case of fire break glass, pull down lever. This quick-opening valve may be a Lukenheimer-lever gate-valve or other suitable form of gate-valve and may, as shown, have a handle I connected with the stem of the valve, so that when the handle is pulled down, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 5, the valve will be opened. By this construction in case of fire a stage-hand or other attendant can quickly pull the valve to the clotted-line position shown in Fig. 5, opening the same and permitting the Water to circulate through the entire system. A small drainpipe J, having avalve J, may be arranged in the supply-pipe D above the main valves F to be used to drain the system after it has been used, thus preventing the water from remaining in and rusting or otherwise injuring the pipe. This drain-pipe J may be run under the floor and discharge to a sewer or otherwise, as desired. It will be understood that in practice the supply-pipes 1) may be proportioned in size to the aggregate area of the three-sixteenths-inch holes that are drilled in the flooding-pipes E.

It will be understood that my invention is designed for use on the stage and to prevent the spread of fire thereon. The construction is simple, reliable, ready to work at any time and by any one. The qu ick-openin g valve may be placed in sight of the audience, and so operate to prevent a panic and insure safety, it only being required in case of fire to break the glass in the front of the box and pull down the lever. WVhere the system is employed in places where there is no system of circulating water-pipe, an overhead tank may be used, in which instance the main valves, such as F, may be placed along and adjacent to the roof and operated by a rod leading from said valve to the floor-line of the stage or any otherconvenicnt position for operation by one of the attendants.

As shown in Fig. 1, the supply-pipes 1) connect with the cross-mains 0 between the ends of the latter and about midway between the connections of the cross-mains with the side mains. By this means the water from the inner ends, a valve in thesupply-pipe, a casing inclosing said valve and having a break able plate, and a handle for opening the valve, said handle being held in position to secure the valve closed by the breakable plate substantially as set forth.

2. In a stage-flooding system the combination with a supply-pipe, sprinkling devices supplied thereby, and a valve in the supplypipe, of a casing inclosing the valve and having a breakable plate, and a valve-operating handle arranged to be held in closed position by the breakable plate.

GILBERT J. GIBNEY.

WVitnesses:

PETER J. MELoRoAN, R. PERCY RoAcn. 

